Your Fault

Your Fault explores how past trauma actively shapes present relationships and perceptions of safety. Through the characters of Noah and Nick, the novel argues that trauma is not a static memory but a dynamic force that manifests as nightmares, jealousy, and destructive behaviors. Their unresolved issues, stemming from parental abuse and abandonment, continuously threaten to destroy their bond, suggesting that love alone is insufficient to heal deep-seated psychological wounds.

Noah’s trauma from her father’s abuse and violent death permeates her daily life. It surfaces in recurring nightmares, where she relives the sound of the “shot that ended my father’s life” (xii), and through her physical aversion to the scar on her stomach, a permanent reminder of his final, brutal act. This psychological burden makes her dependent on Nick for a sense of security, as she admits to him that only with him will her nightmares go away. Her trauma is not a distant event but an active presence that dictates her emotional state and her need for constant reassurance, transforming her love for Nick into a desperate dependency. When she feels abandoned by him, her fear and instability intensify, demonstrating how unresolved pain makes her vulnerable in her present relationships. The therapy subplot underscores this fragility, as Noah’s search for professional help leaves her open to further exploitation when Michael crosses boundaries, revealing how trauma can make survivors susceptible to repeated harm.